The first thing I do at the start of a new season is check on the pureseal. This check is 2 years 9 months. The theory is that in winter the water is colder and growth is slower, but I have not noticed much difference on the panel over the years between any particular period here. The panel this time had slightly thicker than usual algal slime on it and what looked like fungal type growth here and there, but as usual it rubbed off mainly with the pad of my index finger. Here and there I used my finger nail and I also tried a wet cloth (tea towel) and the panels came out just as clean as they usually do. As I have noted in the past there are tiny scratches on the surface, I am not sure how they got there and I am not sure if they are getting any worse but they don’t seem to be effecting the efficiency of the panel in stopping growth from sticking to it and apart from the algae, no crustacean growth has adhered to the plate yet.

With the through sole holes cut in the correct position, de-cored and back filled and sanded smooth again I could glue that section of sole down. I glued pine strips to the hull sides and let them set overnight. The through soles are de-cored because I may get water leak down the side of the pipes rather than down the inside of the pipes. For example the shower drain is going to be siliconed into the sole once the boat is painted but over the years that silicon may fail and a leak will start down the outside of the drain pipe, I don’t want that to end up in the core of the sole. I have set up the mini sump under the drain hole so if any water does seep under the sole I have a secondary trapping point and upon realising the silicon has failed I will remove the drain hole, dry out the mini sump and reset a new drain plug into the shower base.